[photo courtesy of volunteers at the McCarthy Observatory ]

On Saturday, June 9th 2012, the volunteers of the John J. McCarthy Observatory in New Milford, CT, dedicated a 9-foot stainless steel sundial as the centerpiece of “Galileo’s Garden” adjacent to the John J. McCarthy Observatory. The sundial was built and dedicated in memory of Kathleen Fischer, a sixth-grade science teacher who inspired many students to pursue science. 

The sundial is an open armillary, with an adjustable hour band for standard and daylight time. At the tip of the gnomon is a bronze and brass true-size rendering of Galileo’s first telescope, honoring the 400 years since Galileo explored the heavens.  The North American Sundial Society was privileged to donate to this effort.

The instrument rests on a one-ton granite disk donated by Goodrich of Danbury, CT.  The disk was used in the tooling process for making telescope mirrors and serves as a unique base for the sundail.

The sundial was designed with graceful geometric curves – including catenary curves, parabolas, and circle arcs.  And the dial is situated in a flower garden with 60 varieties of sunflowers, part of a student gardening project.  Seen with the sundial is a 6-foot model of the sun, located in the center of a six-mile scale solar system that traverses the town of New Milford.

Read more at: - http://www.mccarthyobservatory.org -special thanks to Robert Lambert